The funding was announced before the state election,but a change of government and almost two years later,the plan has been shelved.
Instead,Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson will on Thursday unveil an alternative plan,including a $500,000 safe haven at Brookvale Community Health Centre,a mental health first responder program,and a liaison service for young people with serious mental health,drug and alcohol issues across the Northern Sydney Local Health District.
Jackson said the previous government had promised the funding without conducting a needs assessment or getting a firm commitment from private hospital operator and healthcare provider Healthscope that they could “deliver within the scope of the commitment”.
While the money was allocated in the state budget,Healthscope was not paid.
Healthscope and Northern Beaches Hospital chief executive Andrew Newton were approached for comment.
The changes will cost $4.5 million less than the $11.4 million in mental health funding committed to the district in the budget. Opposition mental health spokeswoman Robyn Preston said the remaining $4.5 million must be spent on adolescent mental health support for the northern beaches.
Jackson said the government would speak to experts about how the money would be best spent but that all funds would be allocated towards mental health services in the local health district.